Charges: Springfield baby from incest has blood cancer

Prosecutors have charged a Springfield man with incest after an infant was found to have a type of cancer that is caused when the parents have similar genetics.

According to a probable cause statement, Steven DeMaranville, 36, impregnated a relative, and because that woman was younger than 17, he faces statutory rape and sodomy charges, in addition to incest. All three are felonies.

The statement says an officer was called to Mercy earlier this month to assist child welfare workers from the Children's Division on an investigation after a 2-month-old child was diagnosed with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, a type of "blood cancer" that is sometimes a result of incest.

Police say the mother, now 17, admitted that DeMaranville was the father. It was initially reported that the father was a "friend who had moved out of town," according to the statement.

The statement says police received a report last year that DeMaranville might have impregnated the teen, but "there were no facts substantiating the possibility at the time."

Police say the teen has an IQ of 67 and might not "comprehend the severity of the situation."

Police arrested DeMaranville last week and say that during an interview, he admitted to having sex with the baby's mother.

The statement says police are trying to determine the severity of the infant's condition, but have been "unable to obtain a prognosis due to (doctors) awaiting results of genetic testing."

The rape and sodomy charges both carry maximum penalties of seven years in prison, while the incest charge carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison.

DeMaranville is in the Greene County Jail, with a bond set at $25,000.

Some information — such as names of victims, relationships with a defendant or locations of crimes — can be missing in News-Leader stories about sexual offenses and domestic abuse. That's due in part to a state law that redacts the identities of victims, making some information unavailable to report. The News-Leader also tries to protect victim identities, unless victims want to speak out.